ASSAD HAMEED
ISLAMABAD – Three sacked judges of Supreme Court Saturday called on deposed Chief Justice (CJ) Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry here at his residence, sources told TheNation.
These judges, Justice Mian Shakirullah Jan, Justice Sardar Raza Khan, and Justice Nasirul Mulk, discussed different issues, including proposed legal package for restoration of judges in line with Murree Accord, with the deposed CJ, the sources maintained. They also reassured their support for the deposed CJ and said that they would sink or sail together, the source requesting anonymity added. It was also revealed that deposed CJ also shared the details of his recent visit to Quetta with the visiting judges.
It merits mentioning here that the ruling alliance had announced to restore the judges within thirty days after the formation of the government according to which countdown has already started.
Senior SC lawyer Athar Minullah, who was also present at the CJ House during the meeting, when contacted, said that the wording of the Muree Accord is clear on the restoration of the deposed judges. He said according to Muree Accord, (deposed) Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and other judges are not suspended, however, the coalition alliance would facilitate them to go back to the Supreme Court.
When asked why the deposed CJ has refused to address the bar associations, Athar said that the deposed CJ would relax at home because he believes in the Murree Accord and its thirty days deadline. Federal Law Minister Farooq H Naik has also assured him that the work regarding the restoration of the sacked judges is in the pipeline, therefore, Iftikhar Chaudhry decided to give government a chance to implement the Murree Declaration and not to address any bar association during this time, he added.
While talking about the meeting between the deposed CJ and three other judges, Athar said that it was a “courtesy meeting”. However when asked about the agenda of the meeting, he simply replied, “It is not in my knowledge.”
Another source requesting anonymity told TheNation that Federal Minister for Law Farooq H Naik met Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Abdul Hameed Dogor and Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar here on Saturday. The Minister discussed judicial crisis in detail with the Chief Justice and the efforts being made by the People’s Democratic Alliance (PDA) to resolve the issue, source revealed adding, the Law Minister took the CJ Abdul Hameed Dogor and Justice Faqir Muhammad Khokhar into confidence on some issue.
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